


we wander, we wonder (the dream has its downsides)

by LadySpearWife



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Short & Sweet, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:20:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25964257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadySpearWife/pseuds/LadySpearWife
Summary: Seth squirms to give him space, smiling this lopsided, small smile. His eyes crinkle, and Zach’s heart does that pleasant-unpleasant-sweet thing inside his chest.
Relationships: Seth Jones/Zach Werenski
Comments: 8
Kudos: 21
Collections: NHL Hotel Hoedown 2020





	we wander, we wonder (the dream has its downsides)

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [HotelHoedown](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/HotelHoedown) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
> SETH PLAYED OVER A FULL GAMES WORTH OF ICE TIME VS THE BOLTS AND ZACH WASNT TOO FAR BEHIND. AND THEY LOST. That counts as hurt, right? So, they need to comfort each other about it. Fluffy cuddling, the laziest, sleepiest tired sex ever, I don't care, just, COMFORT.
> 
> Hell, you can fill this prompt with ANYONE on the Jackets, I don't care! Elvis/Korpi after that tweet, seriously, anyone!

Seth starfishes on the bed as soon as they’re in.

Groans in both pain and satisfaction.

Zach goes carefully, all his muscles burning even with the small movement. It all creaks and protests, and he’s resigned that the pain will follow him for the weeks to come. Game one, round one, _five_ overtimes – and a loss, at that.

He sighs and takes off his shoes.

They can shower and go back at being human tomorrow.

Seth squirms to give him space, smiling this lopsided and small smile. His eyes crinkle, and Zach’s heart does that pleasant-unpleasant-sweet thing inside his chest.

It’s impossible to resist temptation with Seth.

Even when the temptation is just running a hand over his face.

“How are you feeling?” He asks, tracing his cheekbone. It’s the question of the hour – after sixty minutes of hockey, how does Seth Jones feel? Zach wants to curse at them. What else but exhausted? That _I feel fine_ didn’t fool him.

“Ok, really.”

“I’m sure your soul is alright, but I was asking about the body.”

Seth has the guts to laugh, muffling the sound against his palm, and Zach is unreasonably found of this stupid, stubborn man. Joonas left the game limping and cussing, legs and hips turned into jelly after eighty saves. No one is any better.

“Everyone’s tired,” Seth says, twisting the words out of Zach’s mouth. He pauses, oddly reflective. “And I feel like we’re playing _shit_ even if it’s, like, just six games in.”

“After the third OT, no one can be blamed.”

“Yeah, I know, but –”

Zach leans in to press a small kiss on Seth’s jaw.

 _Shut up about hockey_ , he doesn’t need to say. They’ll have a moment to dissect their game another time. In the preternatural, silent calm after this game, loss and exhaustion pressing them down, the hotel room both anonymous and familiar, he wants to have this if nothing else. Seth goes quiet, melting on the bed, lax under his touch.

His hand grips Zach’s collar and tugs him down, a languid invitation to lie down.

He goes willingly, _defenselessly_.

Settles against his side and lets Seth tuck his head in his neck.

Zach breaths in and out, blinking towards the ceiling, arm moving before he could stop himself. His body aches, burns, shouting at him for pushing too hard.

And he still drags Seth even closer, half lying over him.

Finds it in him to smile at his content huff.

Fancy as this hotel is, the bed doesn’t fit two hockey players comfortably.

It puts weight on some of his bruises, old and new, but Zach will move him soon so they can at least get out of game day clothes. Sleeping like that can’t be comfortable.

 _Just a little longer_ , he tells himself.

Seth presses a gentle kiss over his pulse, breath warm on his skin. His fingers wander over his hips, his waist – dig in here and there to unknot the aching muscles with a gentle touch, and Zach crumbles under his touch. Always has, always will.

“Fucking Tampa,” Seth whispers, more humor than bitterness.

He hums. “We’re gonna leave crying on the ice.”

It’s either _sure_ or _yeah_ , but Zach lingers on the drowsy cadence of the sound rather than the meaning. How warm and comfortable Seth is.

His eyes are huge and dark and _right there_ , dropping close with sleep.

Zach nuzzles into his cheek.

Doesn’t have it in himself bully Seth into changing and getting under the covers when his body is melting on the soft bed and his heart flutters.

Tomorrow, he’s doing something to ease off the piling tension, the franticness.

A little reward for fighting so hard even if the result they wanted didn’t come.

( _Take your mind away from hockey for a little while, it’ll improve your performance and your mentality_ , the sports psych always says, like Zach doesn’t know it well. Seth is always the perfect distraction, riding that high and giddy and turned on.

There’re many things they can do that don’t count as strenuous activities.)

But tonight, he settles against him and closes his eyes.

Falls asleep with his pains and disappointment, yes, but also –

 _Seth_.

**Author's Note:**

> uh? have i ever written hockey rpf? no
> 
> did i care about hockey til a couple of weeks ago? no
> 
> did i know anything about the blue jackets? no
> 
> did i watch that game and got a shit ton of emotions over this team? YES
> 
> i'm not sure if i actually fulfilled that prompt but man i hope y'all like it


End file.
